Fan frame body structure

ABSTRACT

A fan frame body structure includes a fan frame. The fan frame has an air inlet and an air outlet. The fan frame body structure is characterized in that the fan frame is composed of multiple frame layers, which are stacked to form the fan frame. The respective frame layers are made of different materials of different compositions with totally different vibration frequencies. The multiple frame layers of different materials with different vibration frequencies are stacked to form the fan frame so as to greatly reduce the co-vibration of the fan frame and lower the noise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a fan frame body structure,and more particularly to a fan frame body structure, which can reducethe co-vibration of the fan to lower the noise.

2. Description of the Related Art

The materials of the existent fan frames can be generally classifiedinto two types, that is, metal frame body made by means of casting andplastic frame body made by means of injection molding. The cast metalframe body such as aluminum-made frame body has a higher price due tohigher material cost. The plastic frame body made by means of injectionmolding, such as PBT, PA66 and PPE frame body has a much cheaper pricethan the metal frame body due to lower material cost so that the plasticframe body is popularly used in this field.

The forms of the current fans include one-fan form and series fan form.The fan in the one-fan form has a frame body simply made of plasticmaterial such as PBT, PA66 or PPE. The series fan has two frame bodiesserially connected with each other. The frame bodies are made of thesame material. For example, both frame bodies are made of PBT, PA66 orPPE.

No matter which form the fan has, the material and composition of theframe bodies are the same. Therefore, in the case that in operation ofthe fan, the excited frequency of the fan is close to the naturalfrequency of the fan frame, the fan will severely co-vibrate to makenoise. This will ill affect the components of the fan to deteriorate thereading efficiency of hard disc of the system. Moreover, the lifetime ofthe system and the fan will be shortened.

It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a fan frame bodystructure to solve the problem of co-vibration of the fan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide afan frame composed of multiple frame layers, which are stacked to formthe fan frame. The respective frame layers are made of differentmaterials with different vibration frequencies. The multiple framelayers of different materials with different vibration frequencies arestacked to form the fan frame so as to reduce the co-vibration of thefan frame and overcome the problem of vibration of the fan.

To achieve the above and other objects, the fan frame body structure ofthe present invention includes a fan frame. The fan frame has an airinlet and an air outlet respectively positioned on two sides of the fanframe. The fan frame body structure is characterized in that the fanframe is composed of multiple frame layers, which are stacked or formedby injection molding to form the fan frame. The respective frame layersare made of different materials of different compositions with differentvibration frequencies. The multiple frame layers of different materialswith different vibration frequencies are stacked to form the fan frameso as to effectively reduce the co-vibration of the fan frame and lowerthe noise. The frame layers are made of different plastic materialsselected from a group consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS.

Alternatively, fan frame body structure of the present inventionincludes a fan frame. The fan frame has an air inlet and an air outletrespectively positioned on two sides of the fan frame. The fan framebody structure is characterized in that the fan frame includes: a firstframe layer vibrating at a first vibration frequency; and a second framelayer directly overlaid or formed on the first frame layer in an axialdirection of the fan frame. The second frame layer vibrates at a secondvibration frequency. The first frame layer is made of a materialdifferent from that of the second frame layer so that the firstvibration frequency of the first frame layer is different from thesecond vibration frequency of the second frame layer. The first framelayer is made of a plastic material selected from a group consisting ofPBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS, while the second frame layer ismade of another plastic material selected from a group consisting ofPBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS. The first frame layer is adjacentto the air outlet, while the second frame layer is adjacent to the airinlet.

Still alternatively, the fan frame body structure of the presentinvention includes a fan frame. The fan frame has an air inlet and anair outlet respectively positioned on two sides of the fan frame. Thefan frame body structure is characterized in that the fan frameincludes: a first frame layer vibrating at a first vibration frequency;a second frame layer directly overlaid or formed on the first framelayer in an axial direction of the fan frame, the second frame layervibrating at a second vibration frequency; and a third frame layerdirectly overlaid or formed on the second frame layer in the axialdirection of the fan frame. The third frame layer vibrates at a thirdvibration frequency. The second frame layer is positioned between thefirst and third frame layers. The first frame layer is made of amaterial different from that of the second frame layer so that the firstvibration frequency of the first frame layer is different from thesecond vibration frequency of the second frame layer. The third framelayer is made of a material different from that of the second framelayer so that the third vibration frequency of the third frame layer isdifferent from the second vibration frequency of the second frame layer.The material of the third frame layer is identical to or different fromthe material of the first frame layer so that the third vibrationfrequency of the third frame layer is equal to or different from thefirst vibration frequency of the first frame layer. The first framelayer is made of a plastic material selected from a group consisting ofPBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS, while the second and third framelayers are made of another plastic material selected from a groupconsisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS. The first frame layeris adjacent to the air outlet, while the third frame layer is adjacentto the air inlet.

According to the above arrangement, the present invention can trulyreduce the co-vibration of the fan to lower the noise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present inventionto achieve the above and other objects can be best understood byreferring to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a top view of the fan frame body structure of the presentinvention;

FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a sectional view taken along line Y-Y of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the fan frame bodystructure of the present invention, showing the different materials ofthe fan frame; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of the fan framebody structure of the present invention, showing the different materialsof the fan frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafterwith reference to the drawings, wherein the same components are denotedwith the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. FIG. 1A is a top view of the fanstructure of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a sectional view takenalong line X-X of FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is a sectional view taken along lineY-Y of FIG. 1A. As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the fan frame body structureof the present invention includes a fan frame 10 having an air inlet 101and an air outlet 102 respectively positioned on two sides of the fanframe 10. A flow passage 103 communicates with the air inlet 101 and theair outlet 102. A base seat 104 is disposed in the flow passage 103 andconnected to an inner wall of the fan frame 10. The base seat 104 ispositioned at the air outlet 102. A fan impeller 11 is disposed in theflow passage 103 and rotatably connected to the base seat 104. The fanimpeller 11 can operate on the base seat 104 to drive a fluid to flowfrom the air inlet 101 into the flow passage 103 and flow through theflow passage 103 and then flow out from the air outlet 102.

The fan frame 10 is composed of multiple frame layers, which are stackedand connected with each other to form the fan frame 10. The respectiveframe layers are made of different materials of different compositions,which materials have different vibration frequencies. The frame layersare made of plastic materials selected from a group consisting of PBT,PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS. The plastic material of one frame layeris first injected into a mold to form the frame layer by means ofinjection molding. Then the plastic material of another frame layer isinjected into the mold to form the other frame layer. Accordingly, theframe layers are stacked and integrally connected with each other.Alternatively, the frame layers are assembled and connected with eachother to form the fan frame 10 by means of engagement structures orrivets.

As shown in the drawings, the fan frame 10 includes a first frame layer14 and a second frame layer 15. The second frame layer 15 is directlyoverlaid on the first frame layer 14 in an axial direction of the fanframe 10, that is, the first and second frame layers 14, 15 arevertically stacked. The first frame layer 14 is adjacent to the airoutlet 102, while the second frame layer 15 is adjacent to the air inlet101. It should be especially noted that the first frame layer 14 is madeof a material selected from a group consisting of PBT (PolybutyleneTerephthalate), PA66 (Polyamide 66 Resin), PPE, PA (Polyamide), PC(Polycarbonate), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadene-Styrene) and PPS(Polyphenylene Sulfide Ether). The second frame layer 15 is made ofanother material selected from a group consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA,PC, ABS and PPS. In order to specifically distinguish the differentmaterials from each other, the different materials are shown bydifferent sectional lines in the drawings. In this embodiment, the firstframe layer 14 is made of PA66, while the second frame layer 15 is madeof PBT. As shown in FIG. 2, in another embodiment, the first frame layeris made of PBT, while the second frame layer is made of PA66. In thedrawings, the sectional lines of the first and second frame layers 14,15 are different from each other.

Further referring to FIGS. 1A to 1C and 2, the first frame layer 14vibrates at a first vibration frequency, while the second frame layer 15vibrates at a second vibration frequency. The material of the firstframe layer 14 is different from the material of the second frame layer15 so that the first vibration frequency of the first frame layer 14 isnaturally different from the second vibration frequency of the secondframe layer 15. The fan frame 10 of the present invention is composed ofmultiple frame layers made of different plastic materials with differentvibration frequencies. Therefore, in operation of the fan impeller 11,the co-vibration of the fan frame 10 is greatly reduced to lower thenoise.

Please now refer to FIG. 3. According to another embodiment, the fanframe 20 includes a first frame layer 24, a second frame layer 25directly overlaid and formed on the first frame layer 24 in an axialdirection of the fan frame 20, and a third frame layer 26 directlyoverlaid and formed on the second frame layer 25 in the axial directionof the fan frame 20. The first frame layer 24 is adjacent to the airoutlet 102, while the third frame layer 26 is adjacent to the air inlet101. The second frame layer 25 is positioned between the first framelayer 24 and the third frame layer 26. The first frame layer 24 vibratesat a first vibration frequency, the second frame layer 25 vibrates at asecond vibration frequency, while the third frame layer 26 vibrates at athird vibration frequency.

It should be especially noted that the first, second and third framelayers 24, 25, 26 are made of plastic materials selected from a groupconsisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS. The material of thefirst frame layer 24 is different from the material of the second framelayer 25 so that the first vibration frequency of the first frame layer24 is different from the second vibration frequency of the second framelayer 25. The material of the third frame layer 26 is different from thematerial of the second frame layer 25 so that the third vibrationfrequency of the third frame layer 26 is different from the secondvibration frequency of the second frame layer 25. The material of thethird frame layer 26 is identical to or different from the material ofthe third frame layer 24 so that the third vibration frequency of thethird frame layer 26 is equal to or different from the first vibrationfrequency of the first frame layer 24.

In a preferred embodiment, the first frame layer 24 is made of PA66, thesecond frame layer 25 is made of PBT, while the third frame layer 26 ismade of PPE. In another embodiment, the first frame layer 24 is made ofPA66, the second frame layer 25 is made of PBT, while the third framelayer 26 is made of PA66. In both embodiments, the fan frame 20 of thepresent invention is composed of multiple frame layers made of differentplastic materials with different vibration frequencies. Therefore, inoperation of the fan impeller 11, the co-vibration of the fan frame 20is greatly reduced to lower the noise. Alternatively, the first andsecond frame layers 24, 25 can be made of PA66, while the third framelayer 26 can be made of PBT as two different frame layers. Stillalternatively, the first frame layer 24 can be made of PA66, while thesecond and third frame layers 25, 26 can be made of PBT as two differentframe layers.

In conclusion, the fan frame body structure of the present invention iscomposed of multiple frame layers, which are stacked and connected witheach other. The respective frame layers are made of different plasticmaterials of different compositions, which materials have differentvibration frequencies. Therefore, the excited frequency of the fan isnot close to the natural frequency of the fan frame, whereby theco-vibration of the fan is reduced to lower the noise.

The present invention has been described with the above embodimentsthereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in theabove embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scopeand the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only bythe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan frame body structure comprising a fanframe, the fan frame having an air inlet and an air outlet respectivelypositioned on two sides of the fan frame, the fan frame body structurebeing characterized in that the fan frame is composed of multiple framelayers, which are stacked to form the fan frame, the respective framelayers being made of different materials of different compositions withdifferent vibration frequencies, the multiple frame layers of differentmaterials with different vibration frequencies being stacked to form thefan frame so as to reduce the co-vibration of the fan frame and lowerthe noise.
 2. The fan frame body structure as claimed in claim 1,wherein the frame layers are made of plastic materials selected from agroup consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS.
 3. A fan framebody structure comprising a fan frame, the fan frame having an air inletand an air outlet respectively positioned on two sides of the fan frame,the fan frame body structure being characterized in that the fan frameincludes: a first frame layer vibrating at a first vibration frequency;and a second frame layer directly overlaid or formed on the first framelayer in an axial direction of the fan frame, the second frame layervibrating at a second vibration frequency, the first frame layer beingmade of a material of a composition different from that of the secondframe layer so that the first vibration frequency of the first framelayer is different from the second vibration frequency of the secondframe layer.
 4. The fan frame body structure as claimed in claim 3,wherein the first frame layer is made of a plastic material selectedfrom a group consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS, whilethe second frame layer is made of another plastic material selected froma group consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS.
 5. The fanframe body structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first framelayer is adjacent to the air outlet, while the second frame layer isadjacent to the air inlet.
 6. A fan frame body structure comprising afan frame, the fan frame having an air inlet and an air outletrespectively positioned on two sides of the fan frame, the fan framebody structure being characterized in that the fan frame includes: afirst frame layer vibrating at a first vibration frequency; a secondframe layer directly overlaid or formed on the first frame layer in anaxial direction of the fan frame, the second frame layer vibrating at asecond vibration frequency; and a third frame layer directly overlaid orformed on the second frame layer in the axial direction of the fanframe, the third frame layer vibrating at a third vibration frequency,the second frame layer being positioned between the first and thirdframe layers, the first frame layer being made of a material of acomposition different from that of the second frame layer so that thefirst vibration frequency of the first frame layer is different from thesecond vibration frequency of the second frame layer, the third framelayer being made of a material of a composition different from that ofthe second frame layer so that the third vibration frequency of thethird frame layer is different from the second vibration frequency ofthe second frame layer.
 7. The fan frame body structure as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the material of the third frame layer is identical toor different from the material of the first frame layer so that thethird vibration frequency of the third frame layer is equal to ordifferent from the first vibration frequency of the first frame layer.8. The fan frame body structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein thematerial of the first frame layer is identical to or different from thematerial of the second frame layer so that the first vibration frequencyof the first frame layer is equal to or different from the secondvibration frequency of the second frame layer.
 9. The fan frame bodystructure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the material of the secondframe layer is identical to or different from the material of the thirdframe layer so that the second vibration frequency of the second framelayer is equal to or different from the third vibration frequency of thethird frame layer.
 10. The fan frame body structure as claimed in claim6, wherein the first frame layer is made of a plastic material selectedfrom a group consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS, whilethe second and third frame layers are made of another plastic materialselected from a group consisting of PBT, PA66, PPE, PA, PC, ABS and PPS.11. The fan frame body structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein thefirst frame layer is adjacent to the air outlet, while the third framelayer is adjacent to the air inlet.